Campus Alert Archive
Syracuse

15-Year-Old Girl Killed Steps from University Hill: Syracuse DPS Issues Dual Alerts as Semester Begins

NYshootingadvisoryhigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

On the evening of August 30, 2024, a shooting at 901 Madison Street near the Syracuse University campus killed 15-year-old Alexcia Lynch. The Department of Public Safety issued a campus alert at 8:30 PM urging the community to avoid the area, followed by a follow-up at 9:55 PM confirming no active threat to the campus. A 15-year-old male suspect turned himself in two days later.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
1
Injured
0
Institution
Syracuse University
Private R1 · NY
~22,850 studentsOrange Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatimSyracuse University Department of Public Safety official notice #19 — Gunshots, published August 31, 2024236 chars
On August 30th, 2024 at approximately 8:14pm, DPS & SPD received a report of gunshots at 901 Madison St. The Department of Public Safety and the Syracuse Police Department are investigating. Stay away from the area until further notice.
Verbatim text from the official Syracuse University DPS Public Safety Notice #19 published on the DPS website at dps.syr.edu/2024/08/31/19-public-safety-notice-gunshots/
The shooting occurred at approximately 8:14 PM EDT on August 30, 2024; this notice was the initial campus-wide alert sent at approximately 8:30 PM EDT
901 Madison Street is located near University Hill, adjacent to the Syracuse University campus
UPDATEEmail+1h 25m
Verified verbatimSyracuse University Department of Public Safety official Public Safety Update, published August 31, 2024423 chars
As a follow up to the Public Safety Notice sent a short time ago, the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) is investigating a shooting that occurred off-campus near the 900 block of Madison Street. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) responded to the scene to offer assistance to SPD, who is the lead law enforcement agency. Together with SPD, DPS can confirm there is no physical threat to the Syracuse University community.
Verbatim text from the official Syracuse University DPS 'Public Safety Update' published on the DPS website; this follow-up confirmed no physical threat to the university community
The message explicitly framed SPD as the lead law enforcement agency, with DPS in a supporting role, transferring ownership of the homicide investigation off campus
Issued as a follow-up to the initial gunshots notice; it references that earlier notice was 'sent a short time ago'
Context

Background

On the evening of August 30, 2024, just days into the fall semester, Syracuse University's Department of Public Safety and the Syracuse Police Department responded to reports of gunshots at 901 Madison Street at approximately 8:14 PM EDT. The victim, 15-year-old Alexcia Lynch of Syracuse, was pronounced dead at the scene. DPS issued a campus-wide alert at approximately 8:30 PM urging the community to avoid the area, followed by a second message at 9:55 PM confirming no active threat to the campus. The Daily Orange reported that a 15-year-old male suspect turned himself in to Syracuse Police on September 1 and was arraigned and remanded to the Hillbrook Juvenile Detention Facility. Madison Street runs along the edge of the University Hill neighborhood and is frequented by students heading to off-campus establishments.
Analysis

Key Findings

The shooting occurred just days into the fall 2024 semester, during a time when many new students were still orienting to the neighborhood
The alert was issued approximately 16 minutes after the shooting, and the all-clear followed about 85 minutes later
Both the victim and the suspect were 15 years old and not affiliated with the university, but the proximity to campus required a campus-wide notification
Outcome
Alexcia Lynch, 15, was killed. A 15-year-old male suspect turned himself in to Syracuse Police on September 1 and was arraigned and remanded to Hillbrook Juvenile Detention Facility.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Public Safety Update: Syracuse Police Department Investigating an Off-Campus Shooting on Madison St (SU DPS)
    dps.syr.edu
  2. Student Paper
    Juvenile female pronounced dead after shooting in 900 block of Madison Street (Daily Orange)
    dailyorange.com
  3. News
    Syracuse police identify 15-year-old killed near University Hill (CNY Central)
    cnycentral.com
  4. News
    Arrest made for girl killed in Syracuse shooting on Madison Street (LocalSYR)
    localsyr.com
Tags
shootinghomicideoff-campusjuvenilenew-yorkprivate-universityfall-semester
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion